Duckworth wins 8th Congressional District Democratic primary

Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth won the Democratic primary tonight in the 8th Congressional District.

Duckworth had 66 percent of the vote to 34 percent for Raja Krishnamoorthi, a former deputy state treasurer with about 60 percent of the vote in.

A Krishnamoorthi spokesman said the candidate conceded defeat.

Duckworth will challenge Republican Rep. Joe Walsh, the conservative firebrand known best for railing against President Barack Obama. Walsh is seeking re-election on mostly new turf in northwest Cook and northeast DuPage counties.

Duckworth and Krishnamoorthi, who each spent more than $1 million, tried to drum up primary votes by painting Walsh as an “extremist” and “obstructionist.”

Duckworth enjoyed the support of large unions, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and political strategist David Axelrod. She lost a high-profile congressional race in 2006 to Republican Peter Roskam and then went on to top posts in the state and federal veterans affairs departments.

Krishnamoorthi garnered support from a long list of township party officials and local lawmakers.

The former deputy state treasurer played up his business background to voters, having most recently run a small technology firm.